Tag Archives: budget

Sunday Regrets

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In my world, weekdays are for work, weeknights are for home, Saturdays are for adventure and Sunday is for home. I find this a nice balance and one where I get a powerful mix of rest and chores at home with something fun to do on the weekend.

That has not been the mix lately. Last week left me so busy and sick of the world that I actually took a nap on Friday after work. A nap!

This is not who I am.

So yesterday, after lecturing all do you dear readers about the importance of getting out in the world for adventures, I did the unexpected.

I stayed home.

It was nice to sleep in, rest the knee, fix a good dinner, do a few chores, and finish the book I was reading. I even had two meals on the porch! All the same, I was super annoyed to squander what was a great road trip day.

Oh, the fun I could have had!

I’ve been jonesing for a trip to the big antique mall at Springfield and a morning roaming around Yellow Springs. A day roaming downtown Marietta is always fun and a boxed lunch on the Valley Gem would be delightful. I’ve been wanting to visit Hawthorne Hill in Dayton. That was the home of Orville Wright and it’s open for tours. It was a little warm for a hike but I could have managed.

I’m still babying the knee a little so rest is good but a gal can dream.

Sigh.

The good news is that I got some rest and saved my money for adventures ahead. There’s fun on the calendar next weekend and I have plans for my annual October vacation. I’ll need my energy and money for all of that!

How did you spend your Saturday?

January 31: No Spend Challenge Update

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It’s January 31 and that means my No Spend Challenge is officially coming to an end. However, I’m retooling the rules for February. That means I’ll continue a variation of what I’ve been doing only with a few exceptions.

Meanwhile, January went well. I mostly stayed within the confines of my rules with a few exceptions including dinner out with my cousin who I haven’t seen in ages and coffee shop drinks when I met a subject for an interview at work. That coffee shop is a local business and I didn’t mind at all spending a few bucks to support them. There were also some grocery items that I didn’t technically need but were on sale and I will use. With the rising cost of groceries, I’ll take a deal on staples when and where I can. 

The fact things went well doesn’t mean there weren’t unexpected expenses. For example, Scout developed an issue that required a vet trip and an allergy shot. I would never make my cat suffer for want of a vet visit just because of my challenge. I injured myself that same day, winning a trip to urgent care and to the pharmacy for meds. However, a No Spend Challenge isn’t an excuse to avoid seeking medical care for myself either.

Of course, I did stop at Dollar General on the way home to grab something I needed. In a fit of feeling sorry for myself, I bought a Diet Coke and some sugar free candies. This was purely off script and outside the rules but it sure did taste good after the stressful couple of days I had endured.

There were other things I learned and that I noticed this month. In addition to cutting out shopping, I have seriously reduced my exposure to things and people that influence my thoughts and actions. The more distance I put between me and social media influencers, the happier I am.  

I figured out that it took precious little to transform my bedroom. A fresh coat of paint (purchased in December) did wonders and I shopped my house for things to bring it all together. Three dollars worth of craft paint updated picture frames for a gallery wall. There are things that I want to find for that room but I’m going to be very particular about buying exactly the right things. In other words, there’s no rush.

Values based spending isn’t something I have talked about here yet. This has been intentional because I suspect this will open the door to some political commentary that really isn’t welcome here. However, I will say this. I value money in the bank more than stuff on my kitchen counters. I value supporting small businesses and those that support my worldviews more than big conglomerates that lack any hint of moral character. I value the promise of adventure and travel in the near future more than I can say. I value my peace more than anything else and how I spend my time and money help me to protect that. 

We have talked a lot this month about my No Spend Challenge. Why have I brought you on this journey? I suppose I just want to encourage folks to think about spending and accumulating stuff in a different light. I have wanted you to see that when you shop, you’re also choosing how you spend your time. In that moment, you’re investing precious time. More importantly, how much time did you spend earning the money you’re trading for things? Do you want to take a vacation or retire someday? It’s easier to do these things with money in the bank instead of clutter in the closet. 

I’ve had a wonderful month of sleeping in on the weekends, purging stuff from my home, working puzzles, reading and feathering my nest. While I have missed adventuring, the weather hasn’t been good for it and I have no regrets. I’m going to continue focusing on these things with a couple of small adventures along the way in February.

One question people often ask is what I’ll buy first when this is over. It’s like they think this challenge is something to endure and just get past. I do have a little list of things to buy for my new blue bedroom. There are a couple of books and I’m starting to think about freshening up my bathroom with paint and new floors. My aim is to sort out the bathroom updates before summer.  Nothing is urgent. I won’t be out shopping anytime soon. 

Tonight’s agenda includes a regular scheduled haircut and a few groceries and supplies from the store. When I tried to make a grocery list yesterday I thought it was interesting that I couldn’t think of a thing to write on it other than water, cat food and sunflower seeds for my birds. I do have a better list than that now but it took a while to figure out. 

We will keep talking about this No Spend Challenge and how it will evolve into February. I have some more practical tips to share so stay tuned.

No Spend Challenge Week One Is Complete

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It’s day eight of my No Spend Challenge and things are going swimmingly so far.

In case you need a review of the rules, you’ll find that information here. In a nutshell, I pay bills, buy anything that’s a necessity and try to avoid buying things that aren’t actual needs.

Sometimes I feel guilty doing this because I know plenty of people have zero extra dollars and are struggling to keep their kids clothed and fed. Then I remember that I’m not exactly a wasteful person to begin with and that this is a great reminder that life isn’t about spending.

So where are we today?

I filled up my gas tank and bought some basic groceries on December 30 before the challenge started but that means I started out in good shape. 

The first week was easy for a couple of reasons. 

  1. Basic needs were covered.
  2. I didn’t go anywhere to tempt me.

Work lunches were packed leftovers and the rest of my meals were at home. I stayed off shopping sites that tempt me and deleted marketing emails without reading them. Whatever it is they’re selling, I don’t need it.

In anticipation of this storm we got Sunday and Monday, I did stop at the local grocery for some specific items to help in the event of a power outage: eggs to boil because boiled eggs are good cold, a box of store brand Cheerios because I happened to have milk in the house (also a good cold meal) and a case of water because you can never have too much. It was about $11.

That’s it. 

Have I been tempted? You bet I have. I heard an interview with a linguist this weekend and am dying to read his book. It’s not something my local library would ever have and I’m pretty sure I’ll want to own this one anyway. It’s on my list. Maybe I’ll pick it up someday. I’m actively avoiding those people online who film themselves thrifting and show how they style their treasures. I’m not ready for that sort of temptation! 

I have paint for my bedroom (this is an anxiety inducing story for another day) and will need to buy some new curtains and possibly a couple of other things to bring the room together. I have pinned ideas on Pinterest but am avoiding online shopping. I want to paint and see how the new shade looks before shopping around for options. 

You know, shopping and spending aren’t necessarily a bad thing. I enjoy treating myself and finding just the right treasure to make my home cosy. The part that I have to control is the impulse buy. 

One thing that this challenge reminds me of year after year is that purchases can wait and that it’s best to plan. It reminds me that by thinking something through and finding what I really want rather than what’s in front of me now, life can be both less costly and better.

I have done some decluttering this week. I am working on a puzzle, have done some reading, listened to podcasts, and watched a little tv. I got a new walking pad for Christmas and have enjoyed using that while rewatching some “All Creatures Great and Small” in anticipation of the show’s return to PBS on Sunday. In all, it has been a good, happy time.

So, week one is in the books and I made it through without buying any books! I’m sorry if you had money riding on that possibility!

January No Spend Challenge Is Complete

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My No Spend Challenge – January edition comes to a close today. In all, it has been pretty easy even though I have spent more than planned and shopped more than anticipated. You can read my last update here.

Meanwhile, here are some things to note:

  • Eating out was heavily curbed this month. I did end up eating out more than I liked because it was either that or go hungry for hours. In one instance, the power went out while I was working from home. There was nothing to pack for lunch when I had to dash into the office to work that day. Unless I wanted to take a can of green beans or something random – I guess that would have worked! That said, food on the go amounted to under $50 for the month. 
  • Supporting small businesses that I like is an act of service in my mind. That’s why I ended up buying two books at Wheatberry in Chillicothe and spent about $17 at Peddlar’s Junction, a vendor mall in Athens. That was for an adorable hand carved wooden owl, a great old hammer for my fella, and a set of vintage salt and pepper shakers representing the Washington Monument and US Capitol Building. I had admired them before and they were on clearance for $1. Like I could turn down such a deal when I really wanted them. 
  • Car vs. Deer in early January caused almost $8,000 worth of damage to the Nerdmobile. I was perfectly happy to shell out my $100 deductible to liberate my car from the garage and get me back on the road in my own wheels. 
  • Groceries. Man, can we talk about this for a minute? I needed a lot of stuff at the grocery store last week and wanted a few more things that I simply refused to buy because sticker shock wouldn’t allow it. Six dollars for some sad, wrinkly strawberries is not a deal. I’m looking at you Kroger. Produce in general has been overpriced, even by winter standards, and it’s not in good condition when it hits the shelves because it IS winter and it is shipped so far to get here. When I started doing this no spend month challenge back in 2018, I could get by with under $20 for groceries every couple of weeks. That always included some produce, eggs, and whatever random thing I needed to cook with the random things I already owned. Now, it’s more like $100 and that doesn’t include a lot of extra fun stuff. Tell me, how do people afford to buy potato chips and frozen junk foods? Yikes! Anyway, no spend month or not, I don’t compromise my health and bought plenty of nutritious foods to fill in the gaps with what I have in the freezer and pantry. 
  • A Valentine’s gift for my fella. It’s our first Valentine’s Day together and I hope he likes what I picked out. 
  • My Book of the Month membership charged me for a credit to get a book this month but I didn’t redeem it. So I did pay but didn’t shop for a book. That credit will be waiting for me when I’m ready to shop with it. 

That’s about it. 

In past years, January was much more austere and I followed the rules much more closely. I would never have stepped foot in Wheatberry or bought the carved wooden owl. I would have perhaps planned better by keeping an apple and a granola bar in my bag so I wouldn’t have to stop for fast food. I bought one bottle of water while out this month. That wouldn’t have passed muster even three years ago. In all fairness, it was the day I hit the deer and my reusable bottle was left in the car. I needed hydration so this was more of a health issue than anything else. 

I have also been out to eat and to the movies a couple of times on my fella’s dime. I typically drive because I enjoy it and he always wants to pay for whatever we do. This has been a hard thing for me to accept but it seems to bring him joy. Five years ago, I would have said no to these gifts as it goes against the grain of what I am trying to accomplish but these outings have felt like special occasions and they haven’t tempted me to go out and do more stuff. In other words, I’m swallowing my independence and enjoying the fun with someone I never expected to find in this lifetime. 

All told, I’m pleased with the month and I’m pleased to carry on in February with some planned exceptions. 

I will continue to focus on being home, feathering my nest, decluttering and doing things I enjoy. Life is so good when you like your home and have time to stay there and enjoy the quiet, restful period we call winter.

No Spend Challenge – Day Six

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This is day six of my No Spend Challenge. So far, things have mostly gone as planned. There was an unplanned doctor visit and some OTC medicine and I stopped at the store for some produce to get me through this coming week. Every dollar spent was well within bounds of my rules and nothing was spent on anything unnecessary – not even a book! 

This was my first week back to work after the holidays and I was a bit sluggish so evenings were quiet. I decluttered a few things and tidied my laundry room. I enter the house through this room. It’s where shoes are kicked off and where a tall open shelving unit serves as a pantry. It also tends to be messy so it  was a relief to clean up this space because it was starting to cause anxiety. 

There remains a long list of things that need done and things I want to do that will keep me entertained through the winter. 

The No Spend Challenge is most successful when I focus on my own thoughts and actions. Nothing makes me appreciate not shopping like decluttering and nothing makes me appreciate staying home like feathering my nest and being cozy inside. While cleaning last night, I discovered no fewer than a half dozen bottles of shampoo of different brands languishing in the cupboard. There’s clearly no need to buy more until this supply is exhausted. It makes me wonder how much more excess lurks in the corners of my home. 

THIS is part of the purpose behind a no spend challenge. It isn’t about deprivation or about being miserable. It’s about taking a hard look at how you live, the excess that fills your home and the choices you make. It’s about being happy with what you have. 

One day next week, I’ll have to buy lunch while out with colleagues. Eating out right now is problematic because of nutritional changes I have made but, as far as the challenge goes, this is fine. Dining out because there’s no choice is acceptable but it’s not ok if I’m just doing it because cooking is hard. So far, every morsel of food I have eaten since January 1 has been prepared by my own hands – nothing processed and nothing from a restaurant – and I’m much happier. 

Are you doing a No Spend Challenge? How’s it going? This is my sixth year and I look forward to it each time. I’m always curious to hear other people’s stories!

Recommitting To Myself

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new years 2019I’m not a huge fan of the New Year’s Resolution. Maybe it’s because I believe every day is a perfect time to commit to doing something that’s necessary or good. Maybe it’s because I see how quickly most people fail with their resolutions. It takes at least a month of commitment to form a new habit. Sadly it takes one bad decision and about five minutes to revert back to our old ways. Then discouragement sets in and before we know it, we’re waiting for next January 1 to repeat the process.

Last spring, my beautiful friend Sarah introduced me to the Whole 30. It’s designed to help kick a sugar addiction and it’s an elimination diet to help folks with health issues figure out their allergies or other food related problems. For me, it became more of a lifestyle to stave off sugar cravings, lose weight, have increased energy and greater mental focus. I even found that food was causing some mild Rosacea like symptoms.

I quickly learned that I am happier when I eat whole foods and avoid heavily processed stuff. 

It’s a real commitment to be a Whole 30 Pescaterian. It’s a lot of cooking and most convenience food is off the table because it’s packed with sugar and all sorts of nasties you can’t pronounce and probably shouldn’t digest. For most Whole 30’ers, the prospect of eating in a restaurant is enough to incite panic. In other words, it’s a commitment and a challenge. And unlike most diets, if you make a mistake today, you don’t just pick up and go on tomorrow. You go back to day one with every slip up. So if your goal is to just get through the thirty days, it’s stressful when you’re new or when you’re trying to eat on the go.

Like I said, I have achieved a place of lifestyle where I try to stick with it as much as possible but am not bound so tightly by the rules of being on a thirty day round. This healthier diet gave me more energy for hiking, working out and going on adventures. After a few months of being really strict, I gave myself a season of leniency – more or less to see what my tendencies are, what my weaknesses are and what I do if given some leeway.

Turns out, my weaknesses and natural tendencies are appalling.

So today I start a new Whole 30 round and recommit to some of the lifestyle choices that made me so happy last year – drink lots of water, fuel my body with good food, get outdoors when possible, hike a lot, read good books, listen to amazing music, write daily, and surround myself with people and things that make me happy.

I’m also doing a reset on my budget. The holidays and poor self control on this last road trip tell me that I simply cannot be trusted with food, money or anything else. Ha, ha… ahem.

So, I’m not making a resolution. Instead, I’m making conscious decisions to recommit to what’s good for me and to what’s really important.

If you are among the many today who are committing to a resolution, here’s my advice – PLAN, PLAN, PLAN!!! Write out your strategies, write down what you’re doing, study your choices and reward yourself for good performance.

If your goal is to cut spending so you can pay off a credit card, you would need to make a budget, write down every penny you spend, study your spending habits and chart your progress as the credit card balance decreases. Then periodically reward yourself with something special but not necessarily something that costs money. Maybe you invite a friend over for coffee or take a long, hot bubble bath. If you have kiddos, plan a picnic at a local park.

You get the idea.

Whatever you do, remember that the thing you want – the slimmer body, the fatter bank account, the life without cigarettes, or whatever it is – you can work toward every day of the year. You don’t need a calendar or a silly annual tradition to make it happen. You WILL need some elbow grease and a commitment to make it reality.

I have my plan together and I have a goal to be good to myself. And really, my friends, what’s better than committing to being kind to yourself?

Best wishes with your resolutions or goals or whatever it is you call them. Go forth and conquer every day this year! Let’s make 2019 our best year yet!